Looking for ways to prune postal bloat? The Direct Marketing Association offers this checklist of cost-cutting ideas:
1. Fine-tune your mailing list.
- Stop mailing to duplicate names.
- Eliminate nonresponders and marginal prospects.
2. Be sure you're using accurate addresses.
- Check for correct ZIP codes.
- Watch for mail shipped to wrong apartment or suite numbers.
- Check for missing directionals, such "N." for "North."
3. Take advantage of postal discounts and services.
- Use the USPS's National Change of Address list to keep your mailing list current.
- Print "Address Correction Requested" on the face of your mail.
- Investigate commingling your mail with that of other small mailers to take advantage of discounts available mainly to large mailers.
- Print your bar-coded ZIP+4 on Business Reply Mail.
- Stockpile mail to build up larger volumes.
Excerpted from Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Guide You'll Ever Need
